Technology is creating workaholics?

Check emails after work, stay connected all the time and take work home are increasingly common attitudes, even if the constant stress results in health problems. But whose fault is it?



If leaves work early or off the phone, Rachel feel like you're betraying the love of his life. His first job was at age 11, replenishing shelves of a supermarket on Saturdays - but not to supplement the family income, but because his father wanted to teach him "the value of money."

Now 26, Rachel still surprises many of his colleagues and bosses to reveal their age. The rich experience in retail, the confidence to manage large teams and the ease of reaching targets indicate a much longer career.

"I will always try to improve. I will be the first to arrive and the last to leave. I'm under constant pressure, there is always a goal to achieve," explains the young woman, who lives in the city of Reading, England.

US research indicates that about 40% of workers suffer from stress and other work-related diseases. And greater mobility to work today - through computers at home or even modern mobile phones - has increased the demand for service. And thus, more people become workaholics, or addicted to work.

According to Louise Hartley, a psychologist at York University in Canada, overworking can harm employees not only psychologically but also physically.

"Our bodies have no condition to get rid of cortisol they produce when they are under stress," said the expert, referring to the hormone whose function regular blood pressure and provide energy. In excess, cortisol can weaken the immune system, destroying muscles and bones and cause heart disease.

David Ballard of the American Psychological Association (APA, its acronym in English), also warns of the dangers of constant stress. "Chronic stress can contribute to the development of serious diseases such as depression and obesity," says the psychologist. "In addition, many respond to stress in a way that harms further - overeating, smoking or just sleeping, for example."

"Companies take advantage of ambition"
Rachel, whose workload is officially 37.5 hours per week, is accessible 24 hours a day via your smartphone. Thus, just devoting about 60 hours weekly service. Not counting the time it takes checking emails - minute by minute from the time you wake up to go back to sleep.

It seems an exaggeration, but the number is not so above the UK national average. According to official data, full-time employees work on average 42.7 hours a week in the country - higher than the EU average of 41.6 hours per week.

"Companies require you to work hard, very hard. They take advantage of people's needs, their abilities and ambitions. They create these great positions and jobs that seem amazing viewed from the outside, but there is always a hidden illusion", sighs Rachel.

anti-stress laws

Preoccupied with their employees, some companies are changing their priorities. In 2014, Daimler car manufacturer has given approval for its more than 100,000 employees put out the emails received during the holidays. Volkswagen already in 2011, hung up their servers to prevent employees from sending e-mails after working hours.

Some European governments have also been dedicated to ending the culture of taking work home. Laws in Austria, Denmark and the Netherlands already require companies and their employees are evaluated by an external psychologist about factors that can cause stress - like being bothered out of service hours, for example.

Even if the intention is good, Ballard warned against such measures. "Turn off e-mail or prevent access outside of normal working hours can cause more stress, as it reduces the flexibility of employees to decide how, when and where they work."

Instead of laws, the psychologist recommends that companies encourage staff to take advantage of technology and information in a more healthy way, and help you create boundaries that are tailored to their specific agendas and demands.


More work, less efficiency

Recently, a study conducted at Stanford University, USA, said that reducing working hours may, in fact, increase productivity and performance of employees.

Hartley, are the very employees who need to define their personal boundaries. "If the boss comes with more service, we never thought to say 'that's all I can do.' We have a responsibility to try to negotiate our workload," says the psychologist.

Rachel says it has reached the limit of their capabilities. "What is the reward for my ambition? I reached a point where I do not care more about winning a lot of money or improve my career. I just want to feel better," he says.

Last year, the 26 year-old was diagnosed with breast cancer. Every day she has to remember that although value your job, you need to take care of herself now. Otherwise, you run the risk of never doing what you love.